4 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

🔹Downtown Victoria’s largest “arts hub” to open in Blanshard Street office complex🔹

An Art Deco-styled office building on Blanshard Street at Fairfield Road in downtown Victoria will soon be transformed into the largest arts hub in the city centre.

“T’s crossed, i’s dotted - it’s official! Say hello to Rockslide Studio’s new building!!,” says Logan Ford, who spearheaded the effort.

“We’ve levelled up from 2,500 square feet to nearly 20,000! We’ll be joined by the fine folks at the Ministry of Casual Living, Victoria Tool Library, Supply Victoria, and more. This will be downtown Victoria’s largest arts hub, and I’m thrilled to have been given the opportunity to make it happen.“

Rockslide’s new building at 780 Blanshard Street is made possible through the cooperation of Reliance Properties, which acquired the complex in 2019.

Rockslide opened in 2013 and operates out of a
Herald Street building in the 600-block.

[Nparker]

I guess these aren't going to be long-term tenants, unless Reliance is shelving its plans for redevelopment.

[Mike K.]

I believe one plan was to transform the building into a boutique hotel, maybe with some office space. Neither are a hot commodity right now.

[AllseeingEye]

This seems...um...like a 'weird' usage to me for this large and very high profile space and location but I guess in view of the pandemic there weren't a lot of alternatives.

 

I mean I LOVE tools and tool shops and browsing and especially buying at them since no man can possibly have enough power and hand tools - but I'm certainly not going to deviate from my current go-to tool supplier literally a four minute drive from our place with plenty of parking, in favor of heading right downtown and all the hassles with parking that entails.

 

Hopefully further down the road something a little more exciting materializes for the site because this feels....underwhelming.

[Mike K.]

I think the tool library rents out tools. Do they also sell stuff?